1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a game system which pays for recreation value according to progress of a game.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a medal or token game machine which is installed in a game center or the like, the continuity of a suspended game cannot be obtained. For example, in the case where a player plays a game in a specified game machine and comes back to the game machine a few days later the previous game is not related to this game in progress of the game, and this game is not influenced by the result of the previous game.
In a conventional medal game machine, while a game is in progress, a player cannot leave the game machine. For this reason, it was difficult to apply such a medal game machine to a field of a game where a player enjoys a game which continues for hours and enjoys a process of a change in a parameter of an object according to player""s operation, such as a horse raising game in horse racing where a player""s horse is trained and its ability is changed so as to be raised, i.e., developed. Moreover, in order to improve the appeal of games in medal game machines, it is greatly desired to provide a medal game machine which can ensure continuity of a suspended game.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a game system which can ensure continuity of a game.
A first embodiment of the invention provides a game system for paying for recreating value according to progress of a game and comprises reading means for reading information in an attachable/detachable recording medium; storage means for storing a state and a history of a suspended game corresponding to the information in each of the respective recording medium; game progress means for progressing a game; and paying means for paying for recreation value according to the progress of the game in the game progress means. Information for specifying each of the recording media is recorded in each of the recording media, the state and history of the game are stored in the storage means corresponding to the specifying information, and the game progress means continuously progresses the rest of the game using the state and history of the game stored in the storage means corresponding to the specifying information read by the reading means.
In the present invention, since the states and histories of the game stored in the storage means are used, the continuity of the game can be secured. Moreover, since the states and histories of the game are stored in the storage means of the arcade machine, it is not necessary to record the states and history of the game in a recording medium which is retained by the players and detachable from the arcade machine. For this reason improper use of the recording medium can be effectively prevented.
In a second embodiment of the invention, the game system described above includes writing means for writing information into the recording medium, wherein the writing means writes the specifying information into the recording medium at the time of suspension of the game.
In a third embodiment of the invention, the writing means rewrites the specifying information in the recording medium at the time of suspension of the game.
In this case, since the specifying information is rewritten every time the game is suspended, improper use of the recording medium can be prevented effectively.
In a fourth embodiment of the invention, the game system further includes specifying information collating means for collating the specifying information stored in the recording medium and in the storage means; and specifying information creating means for creating the specifying information based on the state and history of the game. In this embodiment, the writing means writes the specifying information created by the specifying information creating means into the recording medium, and the specifying information created by the specifying information creating means is stored in the storage means.
In this case, since the specifying information is created based on the state and history of the game, the specifying information is different from each other very time of the creation. Therefore, improper use of the recording medium can be efficiently prevented.
In a fifth embodiment of the invention, the game system further includes a common field for progressing the game; and a plurality of stations for accepting input operations by a player relating to the game progressed in the common field.
In a sixth embodiment of the invention, the reading means is provided to each of the stations.
In this case, it is not necessary to carry the recording medium out of the station.
In a seventh embodiment of the invention, the storage means includes a first storage device provided to each of the stations for temporarily storing the state and history of the game generated according to the input operations, and a second storage device for updating the old state and history of the game by means of the state and history of the game stored in the first storage device.
In this case, devices with suitable performance are used as the first storage device and the second storage device so that quickness of treating the state and history of the game and enlargement of the storage capacity for the state and history of the game can be compatible with each other.
In an eighth embodiment of the invention, the game progress means reads the corresponding state and history of the game from the second storage device into the first storage device based on the specifying information read by the reading means, and continuously progresses the game using the state and history of the game read into the first storage device.
In this case, devices with suitable function are used as the first storage device and the second storage device so that the quickness of treating the state and history of the game can be ensured.
In a ninth embodiment of the invention, the state and history of the game include final play information for specifying the last time the game was played, and the older states and histories of the game stored in the storage means take priority when considering which stored game in the storage means should be deleted.
In this case, free capacity in the storage means can be maximized and optimized.
In a tenth embodiment of the invention, the state and history of the game include raising results of an object to be raised by the player on the game.
In this case, continuity of the raising game can be ensured.
In an eleventh embodiment of the invention, the state and history of the game include the raising results of an object to be raised by the player on the game, and the object to be raised participates in a race on the game, and the object displays its ability in the race according to the raised results.
In a twelfth embodiment of the invention, the state and history of the game include raised results of an object to be raised by the player in the station, and the object to be raised participates in a race on the game in the common field, and the object displays its ability in the race according to the raised results.
In a thirteenth embodiment of the invention, the object to be raised is a race horse on the game, and the object is nominated for the race in the common field.
In a fourteenth embodiment of the invention, a game system for paying for recreation value according to progress of a game includes reading means for reading information in a attachable/detachable recording medium; writing means for writing a state and history of a suspended game into the recording medium; game progress means for progressing a game; and paying means for paying for recreating value according to progress of the game in the game progress means, wherein the game progress means continuously progresses the rest of the game using the state and history read by the reading means.
In this invention, since the state and history of the game stored in the recording medium are used, the continuity of the game can be ensured.
In a fifteenth embodiment of the invention, a game system for paying for recreation value according to progress of a game includes a first game machine; a second game machine; storage means for storing a state and history of a suspended game in the first game machine; and communication means for connecting the second game machine and the storage means. The first and second game machines are provided with reading means for reading information in an attachable/detachable recording medium; game progress means for progressing a game; and pay means for paying recreation value according to progress of the game in the game progress means. Information for specifying each of recording media is recorded in the recording medium, the state and history of the game are stored in the storage means corresponding to the specifying information, the game progress means of the second game machine acquires the state and history of the game which were stored in the storage means corresponding to the specifying information read by the reading means of the second game machine via the communication means, and continuously progresses the rest of the game in the second game machine using the acquired state and history of the game.
In this invention, since the states and histories of the game stored in the storage means are used, the continuity of the game can be secured. Moreover, since the states and histories of the game stored in the storage means are obtained via communication means, the rest of the game played in a first game machine can be played in a second game machine.
In a sixteenth embodiment of the invention, the game system further includes right/wrong judging means for judging right (correctness) or wrong (incorrectness) of the specifying information read by the reading means.
In this case, since a judgment is made by right/wrong judging means as to correctness or incorrectness of specifying information in the recording medium, improper use of the recording medium can be effectively prevented.
In a seventeenth embodiment of the invention, a magnetic card is used as the recording medium.